Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Dubendorf Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Dubendorf

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,482 in Meilen versus $3,989 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,449 in Meilen versus $5,880 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,416 in Meilen versus $7,771 in Dubendorf.

Living in Meilen costs roughly 13% less than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Meilen 162% above, Dubendorf 200% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.45 CHF 24.58

$30.24 CHF 24.41

0.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 117

$145 CHF 117

0.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.82 CHF 15.19

$18.57 CHF 14.98

1.35%

Cappuccino

$6.46 CHF 5.21

$6.16 CHF 4.97

4.87%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 CHF 4.86

$5.75 CHF 4.64

4.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CHF 4.15

$5.17 CHF 4.17

-0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.76 CHF 7.07

$7.54 CHF 6.08

16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 CHF 5.99

$6.98 CHF 5.63

6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.14 CHF 1.73

1.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 CHF 2.72

$3.28 CHF 2.65

3.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.97 CHF 3.20

$4.13 CHF 3.33

-3.87%

Eggs

$7.44 CHF 6.01

$7.58 CHF 6.11

-1.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.03 CHF 23.43

$29.26 CHF 23.61

-0.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.05 CHF 26.67

$32.98 CHF 26.61

0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.7 CHF 40.94

$49.81 CHF 40.19

1.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.26

$3.22 CHF 2.60

25.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.95

$2.80 CHF 2.26

-13.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 CHF 2.50

$3.16 CHF 2.55

-1.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 CHF 4.01

$7.26 CHF 5.86

-31.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$2.86 CHF 2.30

-8.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$2.36 CHF 1.90

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.07

$2.59 CHF 2.09

-1.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$1.67 CHF 1.35

-31.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.25 CHF 9.08

$10.95 CHF 8.84

2.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 CHF 10.58

$13.56 CHF 10.95

-3.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$2.28 CHF 1.84

-3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.85

$3.04 CHF 2.46

-24.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 CHF 3.25

$7.54 CHF 6.09

-46.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 CHF 79.8

$122 CHF 98.7

-19.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 CHF 5.33

$6.98 CHF 5.63

-5.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.16 CHF 3.35

$4.12 CHF 3.33

0.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.5 CHF 64.2

$81.1 CHF 65.5

-2.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$2.32 CHF 1.87

-4.74%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$40.2K CHF 32.4K

$40.8K CHF 33.0K

-1.61%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.3K CHF 31.8K

$39.7K CHF 32.0K

-0.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$251 CHF 202

$265 CHF 214

-5.26%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$60.4 CHF 48.72

$36.24 CHF 29.25

66.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 CHF 48.02

$53.5 CHF 43.14

11.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 CHF 69.8

$89.0 CHF 71.9

-2.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.78 CHF 37.75

$55.4 CHF 44.66

-15.48%

Cinema Ticket

$26.94 CHF 21.74

$24.53 CHF 19.80

9.82%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,850 CHF 2,300

$2,715 CHF 2,191

4.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.1K CHF 32.3K

$38.9K CHF 31.4K

2.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$151 CHF 122

-7.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 CHF 48.96

$66.2 CHF 53.5

-8.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 120

$150 CHF 121

-1.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$201 CHF 162

$199 CHF 161

0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 CHF 1,355

$1,832 CHF 1,479

-8.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 CHF 1,205

$1,859 CHF 1,500

-19.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,862 CHF 2,309

$2,728 CHF 2,202

4.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 CHF 1,996

$2,857 CHF 2,306

-13.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$12.1K CHF 9,740

21.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.4K CHF 9,986

$7,274 CHF 5,870

70.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,239 CHF 6,649

$3,841 CHF 3,100

114.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.5

-16.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Meilen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dubendorf: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,679 in Meilen and $1,832 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 114% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $146 in Meilen vs $145 in Dubendorf. Groceries flip the comparison at $656 vs $673, with Meilen cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Meilen vs Dubendorf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meilen and Dubendorf differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($3,482 vs $3,989 including rent). Meilen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 114% higher in Meilen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,679 in Meilen versus $1,832 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,482 per month in Meilen versus $3,989 in Dubendorf – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Meilen runs roughly 24% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Meilen is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Meilen and Dubendorf are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Meilen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.